Photographer's Profile

Richard Westerhuis

Netherlands

Richard at a young age became fascinated by the process of photography. In particular, the way in which photography brings together a single moment of light and color and thus seems to change reality. This discovery prompted him to experiment in which his unruly character proved to be a determining factor for his learning process. His plans to pursue an art education were thwarted and 22 years of successful entrepreneurship followed. Driven by the desire for independence and autonomy, he created the freedom for himself to give his creative mind space and to excel successfully in various areas. Photography faded into the background during these years, but his love for art remained. A burn-out in 2014 brought his attention back to photography. Because photography helps him to experiment without pressure, tell stories, ask questions, create his own world and make appealing art photos. Not hindered by the frameworks of an education, Richard has expanded his oeuvre by watching and learning from the best, by doing, by experiencing, by combining feeling and intuition. As an autodidact, he has been experimenting with light and technology since his first series. From his former fascination with the process in the darkroom, he wants to use digital manipulation as little as possible. The end result is what the camera records. Due to his motivation to get to know all processes in detail, his work is both staged and intuitive in the moment. The dramatizing elements such as light and perspective give his images their narrative power. He has since won several international awards with his evocative and compelling series and is looking forward to a growing interest from international collectors. Driven by personal experiences, his themes often deal with vulnerable human existence and behavior in social interactions and affective relationships. He believes in the beauty of being vulnerable and different. But is the latter still possible in a world dominated by artificiality? With an interest in psychology, Richard explores through photography which roles of individualism and collectivism influence our social interactions and relationships. Photographing is ultimately also a search for his own identity.